Books on psychology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, personal self-help and sex -- that is, books in the field of mental health -- form a significant part of all books published. Such books are important in developing the ideas of both laymen and professionals in the mental health field. The publishing industry is a major gatekeeper for ideas published in book form and it is proposed to study manuscripts and books in mental health and we will contrast these decisions to those involved in publishing books in current affairs, history, and social science. One hundred and twenty respondents in six publishing houses will be interviewed and the process through which manuscripts flow through the publishing houses will be traced. Large and small houses will be represented as will independent ones and those attached to some larger corporations. Only houses of high prestige will be studied. It is expected that decisions about books and manuscripts will be affected by the characteristics of the house such as its financial and market position, its traditions and its formal and informal organization structure as well as by the characteristics of individual members of these houses such as their self-concept, chosen reference groups, educational background, and career aspirations. The inquiry is conceived as a contribution analyzing the social determinates of the production and communication of ideas in mental health as contrasted with those in other fields.